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The Ledgers of Baldr: 4E152
Actions Hall of the Five Inside the Halls of the Five, wheels are turning. Heavy propaganda is in effect in the mortal villages, warning such things as “NEVER trust a DRAGON-SPAWN” and “Only ANTHROs are SAPIENT”. Garma and Rucahn have been teaching the Toquans to ride firebears so that they can be mobilized. (1&2: tech) Meanwhile, Kellus has run out of real bears and has resorted to pyrizing other animals, like firedeer and firerabbits. Much to Garma’s dismay, Kellus and Gojac attempt to pyrize most everything in the Godswalk Forest. (3&4: raise armies) The Destroyer has been busy arranging a funeral for one of his recently deceased ravens. The raven died of heart attack at the ripe old rage of 16. The funeral is held in the square of the Cordish section and eulogies are delivered by the raven’s adopted son, his raven lieutenant, and Death. The ceremony is open casket. Ashelani The screams of death from the lands of the Reich etch a terrible memory into the mind of the Queen. She cries a song of rage and sorrow to inspire her warriors, and give them strength for the battles ahead. (culture 1) Even in her suffering, however, the Queen sees opportunity. As the newly adapted flammenwormers die on the battlefield, their corpses burst into flame and cause chaos in their wake. Future flammenwormers are spawned with higher pressure in their wine tumors, and now detonate upon their death. (military tech) Bred to fight until they die, the Queen realizes such a drastic step is necessary, and decides to take it one thought further. If the explosion was great enough, it could blow through even the thickest tunnels. The Queen begins breeding a new form of soldier, a flammenwormer variant, which launches itself through the air with powerful hind legs into enemy fortifications, detonating on impact. (Offensive Tech). Finally, the Queen realizes that the chuteworm's transport speed could be enhanced by linking the deposit of an item to the creature's adrenal gland, speeding up the creature's reactions and cillial movement. (income -60 wealth) Kaz'ur With the Sawmanji absent, leading the armies currently en route to the DFP lands, the Zakatu steps up to head the defense of the homeland, the normally reserved bureaucrat taking to his new role with gusto. Using the champion Abdid as a symbol of their military, and drawing upon the religious fervor of his people, the Zakatu does all he can to raise additional forces to support the war effort. (1-3, Raise Armies). Meanwhile, the Shahadash takes over the scouting initiative proposed by the Sawmanji before his departure, and makes it his own. He has a grand vision of a permanent military force acting in defense of Kaz'ur, comprised of the most skilled and devoted veterans. (-150 Wealth) Ignati A bleak mood hangs over the Great Forest. After the painful loss of the First Wings, Chimeryx realizes that this is not a war he can win with brawn alone. The initial assault having failed, he decides it is time to regroup and retool. He decides that, if he's going to go, he is going to go hard. All of the Tribes' disposable resources are put towards turning the war around. He orders the mass-production of tar-soaked throwing javelins, to set the Halls of the Five ablaze (Offensive Tech, 1). He organizes some choice fighters into night-fighting squadrons. Painted all in black, these special attack units swoop in under the cover of night, inflicting critical damage (Offensive Tech, 2). In addition, he focuses on more universal assault techniques: battering rams and tunneling equipment. (Offensive Tech 3 and 4). Gold spent Stinheim As the enemy has finally been driven back into rebel territory, Azaghal commissions the research of a new way to punish them, a method that will strike fear into the hearts of all who oppose the mighty dwarves of Stavengar. Crucifixion. (Subjugation tech x 1). He orders another legion to be raised, to assist in defending the homeland as the other 3 legions besiege Colonius Lentulus(Raise 1 army). Attempts will be made to complete the adamantium mines beneath Stavengar(Incomex1). Finally, the King decides that, as he will be off to invade the whoreson rebels, somebody will be needed to rule in his stead, and to lead the next legions. His son remains too young to rule, however. Thinking back to his plans for the intended compromise with the rebels, he decides to attempt to codify a new set of laws that will turn the Kingdom of Stinheim into the Senate and People of Stavengar(Culturex1, -60 wealth, literacy/alphabet bonus?). Senatus Populus Que Stavengarus! Rhiam Reich The people of the Reich are jubilant after finally pushing those vicious creatures off of their land. The emperor declares an end to his extreme levy, disbanding armies, and sending the younger soldiers home to begin reconstruction efforts. The remaining army is led by Lord Helmuth, the broken, (Will explain how he is still useful later.) and is charged with the continues defense of the Reich. 3 of the armies are disbanded. The people of the Reich have not forgotten the threat to their south, however, and the scientists of the new military school are tasked with finding out how to safely use the hunger for defense. If it kills humans. It can kill bugs. They also search the Stinheim libraries for any other relevant information. (Mil tech 1) Whiskey sales and production are increased as quickly as possible in order to renew the productive viability of the reich. (Income 2) A glorious state funeral is held for the late Emperor Eckard and all the other victims of the vile Ashelani sneak attack. Emperor Koragg spends days giving speeches in hopes that it will help tie his battered people together. Though the days have become dark, he hopes to create a stronger, friendlier Reich through his actions as Emperor. (Culture 1+2) Mu'lakka Rak'min commissions groups of laborers to begin planting forests of Ignati timber on the newly acquired island Yal'tan, for trade and ship production (Income 1). Insistent on colonizing new land, he sends another party to the deserted continent in search of habitable land. (Expansion 2) In light of recent events Rak'min also commissions the construction of a national bank to consolidate the national currency (Not sure whether you'd want that to be income or culture, or maybe both? 3) Fleet Admiral Le'Force orders the construction of a new and improved trade fleet, designed to get larger quantities of cargo to destinations faster than ever before. With the new hull technology there is less of a need for a keel and so more space can be allotted for cargo so blueprints are drawn up to make the most of the space allowed. (Income tech 4) Results: The Halls of the Five: 6, 9, 15, 9 There are only a handful of Toquans brought over from the summer planet, a small village, the best and brightest of that world. Putting them in the line of fire, Garma and Gojac protest, would be a waste of their talents. There are more Cordishmen available, but they are superstitious folk and are inherently distrustful of the firebears, preferring to keep to their mechanical war constructs. No progress is made, needless to say. In another corner of the country, setting live animals on fire proves to be delightfully entertaining, but the fire does not stick to their forms as it did to the firebears. The deer and birds and rabbits of your forest are now blackened, still-living husks that walk with an odd gait, noiseless and horrifying. Their sharpened teeth can tear out the throats of an Ignati, though, and Gojac reckons that they will be impervious to worldly pain. Of all the Constantians, only one has volunteered to lead the legion of the lifeless, the aging, dark-skinned fire mage named Qol (-10 income). The Ashelani Dominion: 13, 2, 9, 17 The war song inspires the synchronized minds of your people, uniting them further in warlike intent (+1 culture). Your research into offensive technology, though makes no ground, as your race’s breeding pods are too busy churning out soldiers to carry out large-scale augmentations. Flammenwormers still don’t explode upon death, and the new variant type flammenwormer is still in the planning stages, as the tendons in the hind legs keep snapping whenever it overexerts itself while jumping. The transport worms, though, have been augmented, and they now transport vital food supplies to the front lines of the war much quicker, depositing them from huge, hundred-toothed mouths that form permanent fixtures in the middle of the ground and have become part of the landscape. Goods can now also be sent two ways, your worms having developed two separate digestive systems (+5 income added to worms, giving you +7) Kaz’ur: 8, 15, 12, 10 Two armies of mounted Sihrhaji paladins are raised by the church to enforce the sacred word of God. In total, both of these armies number 200 strong, befitting your nation’s war philosophy of small, highly trained, highly mobile units. The strength and speed of one golem, it is surmised by your diviners, is enough to outmatch seven men, not even taking into account your people’s skill in mounted combat. Clad in yellow robes and white silk turbans, the paladins set off on their war goats across the mountainsides, headed south, bound for war (-20 income). The grand vision of your leader, though, does not go into effect this season—your anti-militant priests growing more vocal about the costs—both monetary and spiritual—of maintaining a permanent military force in your homeland, and there is a sense that it will degrade your culture (-150 wealth). The Ignati Tribes: 13, 19, 12, 3 The spears coated in flaming pitch seem to do little against the forces of the Five, 99% of which are already on fire or have been on fire at some point in the past, or are in a state of flux—caught between not being on fire and always being on fire. The highly trained Ignati strike force is the first night fighting force ever trained in the entire world, and they are damn good at it. Their skin has not been painted black, it has been permanently tattooed entirely black. This is a cultural thing as well as a practical measure—tattoos are a part of your warrior-poet tradition, and black paint would need to be reapplied every assault. The black ink obscures any former tattoos they might have had, symbolic of a warrior’s eternal dedication to the cause. They have forsaken the use of thunderspears and rely on silent, traditional Ignati hunting weapons. These new soldiers have been christened Lyil’raishi, or “wings of death,” and supplement your entire armed forces, proving invaluable in an assault (+6 offense, -150 wealth). The work on battering rams and tunneling equipment, though, has stalled, as the wings and large size of your people make them unsuited to work underground. The sky calls out to the romantic and uninhibited nature of the dragonborn, and the battering rams are seen as useless, as your warriors could simply vault over the walls in a siege without having to waste men assaulting the doors. Stinheim: 5, 3, 5, 11 No. Rhiam Reich: 13, 8, 1, 11 For the first time in a long while, an expedition into the Hunger has been launched—the largest yet—three hundred orcs and dwarfs, supplemented by occasional human recruits. The expedition is led by Duke Baer’migyrn, a strapping Ignati, having fled his homeland in the Great Forest because of his nonconformist political views, and who has risen to power through battlefield bravery in service of Emperor Koragg, as well as his boundless charisma. Flying above the Hunger for the first time, Baer’migyrn has charted a map of its fullest extent—it covers about one third of the continent of Rhiam. The lakes and rivers in the central continent have glossed over with thick white mycelium, and can be walked upon. The Hunger of old Rhiam legend was rumored to be a demonic force, led by a towering demon known only as the Bright Prince. This is something different, but no less deadly. Feathery black clusters litter the ground, alluringly beautiful, almost alien, releasing thick clouds of spores at certain intervals, spores that—if inhaled—spell certain death in a matter of days. These can certainly be weaponized, the Ignati Duke thinks, but to do so would be a horrifyingly dishonorable method of making war. Nonetheless, he ships crates of samples under heavy guard back to Hammesburg for study (2 more successes). Far northward, your whiskey distilleries were mostly destroyed by the Ashelani invasion, and putting their level of production up to pre-war levels in such a short amount of time would be impossible. The funeral for the late Eckard has gone poorly. In the north, many humans are resentful of the former emperor’s inability to defend the great cities of Hammesburg and Daerholdt, and the massive casualties inflicted by the insects upon civilians, coupled with the continued blockade of all trade goods by the sinister krakens offshore, has sparked talk of armed rebellion (chance of revolt increased this turn). The Mu’lakka Lands: 7, 18, 12, 9 The fabled ironwood trees of the Great Forest seem to be unable to grow in your more humid climate. Your people, it seems, will have to find other sources of enterprise. Not to fear, though— far to the north, in the incredibly hostile ash wastes, there’s a killing to be made. Your expansion presses further inland, brave Mu’lakkans forming bridges across the rooftops of towering cities of white stone rising hundreds of feet high. Colonies are built at the bases of these monolithic, engraved marble plateaus, protected from the streams of falling ash by cleverly designed sloping roofs. In the storehouses of this long-dead civilization, troves of rubies and emeralds are discovered, and the backers of your expedition are now rich beyond their wildest dreams (-10 wealth, +8 income). Rak’min realizes that his nation has been given a unique opportunity to expand its commercial base because it has refused to enter into the war, and he has taken it upon himself to found the Mu’lakkan First National Bank, and with it, a new standardized form of paper currency (you get to name it). The Bank is a large, sleek, wooden building that takes up an entire city block, and inside hundreds of notaries and accountants are on hand to oversee transactions. It will take time, however, to your currency standardized (1 more success). The improvements to the trade fleet, though, do not go into effect. * oh yeah, it's not in the image, but James Moller's army is on the move to the DPF and will get there in time for the fight. Battles Retreat from the Border The combined forces of the Ashelani, DPF, and Kaz'ur have finally recommitted to the offensive, pushing across the Stavengar border. Borgrek is ecstatic, but as he and his allies search the outlying towns, they find them devoid of any citizens or food, completely empty. The old town hall where Adolph was said to be holed up is also empty. A planned retreat, then. Expertly done. Borgrek's engineers examine the masonry and report to the general that cracked stone indicates tunneling on a massive scale below the town. This had been in planning for a while--a mass exodus of the frontier. The dwarf curses. No fighting will be seen this season. But a nagging question bothers him. This tactical maneuver was unexpected, and discreetly conducted. Where could crusty old King Stinheim have taken this play from? Retreat was a DPF tactic. He walks into the old town hall again. Lying on the table is a note. Borgrek opens it. It's in crude Stavengar dwarfish, and bears the sigil of Duke Adolph. Borgrek reads the letter once, then twice. He spits on the floor and curses loudly. The letter reads: "I read your book, you one-eyed fucker." Lying next to the letter is a copy of General Borgrek's Tactical Primer. The Battle of the Labyrinth "I can't shape like you can, Kellus," Gojac says with a wry smile. Only you and the Destroyer are capable of that kind of thing. Kellus frowns. It's not like he dislikes the Destroyer, in fact, the two of them have come to kind of an accord over the past few months. He just wished that there was someone else to help him kill all these Ignati. Death wasn't much of a talker. Kellus has decided on his form, now. As he teleports to the battlefield, he claps his hands once. The Destroyer, in the guise of an Ignati foot soldier, senses his prescence immediately. The Ignati cross the ridge. Lying before them is a monolithic black wall, stretching hundreds of feet high and miles upon miles wide. A labyrinth, the Destroyer thinks. Kellus, you clever bastard. The Ignati are inside Kellus, the Destroyer muses. Two whole contingents entered the labyrinth a few hours ago--the structure was too high to fly over, and too large to go around. The Destroyer convinced his captain to stay behind. Someone needs to be left alive to tell the story, he thinks. As he walks among the campsite, shortening the lives of his fellow Ignati by entire decades just on a whim, the screams begin. Kellus's labyrinth would no doubt be filled with horrifying creatures and the most deadly traps imaginable. The cruelest part of the trick, though, was that there was no exit. In the past, the labyrinth had compelled entire nations into its depths, sealing them inside, never to return. No doubt Kellus was expending an obscene amount of magic doing this. There is a flash of blue light, and the labyrinth is suddenly gone. A single old man with a wooden staff stands on the empty plains once again. There are no Ignati with him. He'll be off, the Destroyer realizes, off to recharge. Two whole armies annihilated, but the Five had lost one of their own for a little while. It was just him out here now, him and the other remaining Ignati. It would be okay. He has time. He has all the time in the world. On the sun-dappled foothills of Mount Vengance, his army in a panic, a single, lowly Ignati foot soldier resists the urge to smile. Michael rolled 1, 4, 3 + 42 for a total of 50. Isaac rolled an 8 and a 7 +42 for a total of 57. The result is a minor victory for Isaac, who loses one army. Michael loses two armies. In the remaining Ignati war camp, a foot soldier clad in black pulls a small wooden dragon out of his pocket. He cuts two notches in it with a sword. He then strolls over to the medical tent to carry away the dying. Category:The Ledgers of Baldr